Link-lifter



(No Model.)

L. WEST.

. LINK LIFTER.

No. 514,875. Patented Feb. 13, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LANDON WEST, OF LANIER, OHIO.

LINK-LIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,875, dated February 13, 1894.

Application filed August 29, 1893. Serial No. 484,303- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANDON WEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lanier, in the county of Preble and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Oar-Link Lifter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved carlink lifter; and it has for its object the production of a link-lifter that can be easily and cheaply manufactured, readily used with every style of link, and one that will enable the brakeman, while using it, to be in such a position as to avoid danger to himself and to readily signal the engineer.

The invention will first bedescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then pointed out in the claims. I

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan view of my improved link-lifter. Fig. 2 is a side view of a car, a portion of the draw-head being fioken away to show the operation of the i ter.

Referring to the drawings, A is a rod of iron,

or other suitable material, having a handle B formed integral on one side of one end. Near the other end there is a spur 0, formed by making a return bend of the rod at D, and then bending the rod at a right angle in a plane with the handle. The spur is formed on the same side as the handle, and is preferably tapered so as to readily enter the draw-head. By reason of the handle B being formed on one side of the rod A, all the power exerted thereon is applied in one direction, thus materially increasing the leverage. By forming the spur C on a return bend of the rod I am enabled to make the link-lifter comparatively light, as that portion of it which is designed to support the coupling-link is of double thickness; while the spur, being formed integral with the rod, is much stronger than if formed separately and welded or otherwise secured to the rod.

The ease with which my improved linklifter can be manufactured will be apparent.

Supposing the link and pin to be in the draw-head of one car and a second car in motion to make a coupling, the operation of my link-lifter is as follows: The brakeman standing at the side of the car and taking hold of the handle B of the lifter, places the outer end of the lifter under the link in such a position that the end of the spur rests in the mouth of the draw-head between the sides of the link, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and then, as the cars to be coupled come together, bya slight turn of the rod he raises the outer end of the link to the proper height to enter the draw-head on the other car, when the pin, being in position, drops through the link and the cars are coupled. To remove the lifter all that is necessary is to allow the rod to fall away from the under side of the link, the spur being thereby withdrawn from the draw-head.

As these lifters can be made very cheaply,

one could be carried on every freight car,

thus allowing a number of couplings to be made without waiting for the brakeman to pass the lifter from one car to another. The rod being of sufficient length to allow the brakeman to stand from between the cars, all the danger at present incident to coupling cars having the old pin-and-link couplers is removed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a link-lifter, a rod having a handle at one end, a return bend at the other end in a plane with the handle, and a spur on said return bend at a right angle to the rod and also in a plane with the handle, the rod, handle, and spur being formed integral.

2. In a link-lifter, a rod having a handle at one end wholly on one side, a return bend at the other end in a plane with the handle and a spur on said return bend at a right angle to the rod and also in a plane with the handle, the rod, handle, and spur being formed integral.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LANDON WEST. 

